Ratings and Methodology

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Student Loan Refinancing Rating Methodology

LendEDU has reviewed and researched the student loan refinancing industry since 2014. LendEDU analyzes each student loan refinancing company using the following criteria: breadth of products offered, interest rates by term and product, available term length options, applicable fees, soft-credit check process, borrower benefits and unique incentives, borrower protections, ease of use, quality of customer support staff, and time to funding. Each piece of criteria is cross checked and audited by multiple members of the LendEDU team.

Top Lenders by Quarter

Private In-School Student Loan Rating Methodology

LendEDU has reviewed and researched the private student loan industry since 2014. LendEDU analyzes each private student loan provider using the following criteria: communication process with consumers and/or required cosigner, ease of use when applying, clarity of necessary disclosures, availability of 24/7 customer support staff, availability of customer support channels including but not limited to email, phone, fax, and text, competitiveness of interest rates offered at a high level and at a credit profile level, wide variety of terms available, non-financial benefits and services offered, incentives for responsible borrowing, tools to promote educated repayment, relationships with servicing companies, availability of a soft credit check process, experience industry executives, track record of excellent consumer happiness, values upheld by the institutions, and timeline for funding process. Each piece of criteria is cross checked and audited by multiple members of the LendEDU team.

Top Lenders by Quarter

Personal Loan Rating Methodology

LendEDU has reviewed and researched the personal loan industry since 2016. LendEDU analyzes each personal loan company using the following criteria: competitiveness of interest rates offered by credit quality, competitiveness of interest rates offered by product type, competitiveness of interest rates offered by term and rate type, ease of use, availability of soft-credit check process, interest rate cap consideration, prepayment or origination fees, responsiveness of customer support staff, scrutiny of past dealings and relationships with regulatory agencies, servicing relationships and service, and time to funding.

In addition, each personal loan product is rated based on the lender's target customer credit rating. Each product was categorized as either "For Above Average Credit", "For Average Credit", and "For Below Average Credit". Lenders were rated relative to other lenders' offerings in their credit rating category.

Please note, LendEDU does its best to adjust criteria, when necessary, for personal loan providers targeting a niche or unique customer segment. Each piece of criteria is cross checked and audited by multiple members of the LendEDU team.

Top Lenders by Quarter

Pet Insurance Rating Methodology

LendEDU has reviewed and researched the pet insurance industry since 2017. LendEDU analyzes each pet insurance company based on the conditions covered, states where coverage is available, types of pets covered, age restrictions, monthly premiums, deductibles, deductible types, reimbursement percentages, benefit limits, waiting periods, and customer service. Each piece of criteria is cross checked and audited by multiple members of the LendEDU team.

- Our highest recommendation, the top tier option for consumers

- Excellent selection for consumers

- Average selection for consumers

- Consumers should proceed with caution

- Consumers should avoid

Description of ﻿Rating﻿ ﻿Categories

Coverage: Analyzes conditions covered, states available, type of pet, and age restriction.

Customer Service: Analyzes discount offered and the availability and effectiveness of customer support.

Renters Insurance Rating Methodology

LendEDU has reviewed and researched the renters insurance industry since 2017. LendEDU analyzes each renters insurance provider based on a multitude of factors including overall customer experience with Trustpilot score and BBB composite score, overall coverage available to the consumer, discounts offered, and financial strength of the provider. Each piece of criteria is cross checked and audited by multiple members of the LendEDU team.

Small Business Financing Rating Methodology

LendEDU has reviewed and researched the small business financing industry since 2017. LendEDU analyzes small business term loans, line of credit, equipment loans, and invoice financing using the following criteria: credit score required, minimum business age, revenue needed, interest rate range, minimum and maximum loan amount, deposit time, and overall customer experience using Trustpilot and BBB ratings. Each piece of criteria is cross checked and audited by multiple members of the LendEDU team.

- Our highest recommendation, the top tier option for consumers

- Excellent selection for consumers

- Average selection for consumers

- Consumers should proceed with caution

- Consumers should avoid

Credit Card Rating Methodology

LendEDU has reviewed and researched the credit card industry since 2016. LendEDU may analyze credit cards using the following criteria: availability of sign-up bonuses, terms of sign-up bonuses, clarity of required disclosures for consumers, recurring rewards offered to consumers, reward incentives offered to consumers, interest rates and caps in place, partner channels for rewards earned, non-financial benefits and services offered, application process and customer experience, availability of customer support staff during application process, availability of customer support staff post-application process, unique partner benefits provided to consumers from non-issuers, fees and other charges, and more. Each piece of criteria is cross checked and audited by multiple members of the LendEDU team. Credit cards are rated respective to other credit cards in their category. Categories include: Rewards, Travel, Hotel, Business, Secured, Student, Balance Transfer, Exclusives, and Store.

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